Alcohol and nicotine enhance expression of nitric oxide synthase in rat hypothalamus

In this study, the effects of alcohol and nicotine on the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) of the hypothalamus were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rats of the alcohol-treated group were injected intraperitoneally. with 2 g/kg alcohol twice per day for 3 days, and animals of the nicotine-treated group were given 1 mg/kg nicotine intraperitoneally twice per day for 3 consecutive days, while those of the control group received equivalent amounts of saline for the same duration of time. The results show that NOS expression in the PVN of the hypothalamus is enhanced by alcohol administration and that NOS expression in the VMH increased by nicotine treatment. Based on the results, it can be suggested that alcohol and nicotine enhance the expression of NOS in the hypothalamus and that the inductive effect of alcohol and nicotine on NOS expression are region-specific.